302 THE KESTREL. 



high-flying beetles h)ng after dusk. Caterpillars and other larvte are 

 also eaten by the Kestrel, which does not disdain to alight on the ground 

 and draw the earthworms out of their holes. 



Mice, however, are always its favorite diet; and, as the multiplica- 

 tion of these little pests is much increased by the abundant food which 

 they find in cultivated grounds, and stacks and barns, the Kestrel has 

 learnt to attach itself to human residences, instead of becoming self-ban- 

 ished, as is the case with almost every other hawk. There is hardly a 

 village where the Kestrel may not be seen hovering with outspread 

 wings and surveying the fields below. 



With the aid of a good telescope, every movement of the bird may be 

 discovered as it hangs in the air, and the sight is a very interesting one. 

 Its wings keep up a continual shivering, its widely-spread tail is occa- 

 sionally moved so as to suit the slight changes of the breeze, the spirited 

 little head is in perpetual motion, and the dark brown eyes gleam with 

 animation as they keep their restless watch. It seems from various ob- 

 servations that each Kestrel has its regular beat or hunting-grounds, 

 au'l may be observed punctually repairing to the same spot at the 

 same hour, much after the manner of the golden eao-le. 



The Kestrel is known by various names in different parts of the 

 country. 



Its most common name is Windhover, in allusion to its peculiar mode 

 of flight. For the same reason it is termed Stannel, Stand-gall, or 

 Stand-gale, and has also obtained the title of Vanner Hawk. 



The nest of the Kestrel is generally placed upon the topmost bough 

 of some lofty tree, although it is sometimes found upon a ledge of some 

 precipitous cliff, should the bird have taken up its residence in a moun- 

 tainous country. Many of these birds have built their nests upon the 

 rocky heights of Dovedale in Derbyshire, and may be seen hovering in 

 mid-air near the spot where their young are nourished. The nest itself 

 is a very simple construction of sticks and moss ; and the bird is so 

 averse to trouble that it often takes possession of the deserted nest of 

 the carrion crow. I have several times been greatly surprised in my 

 nest-hunting expeditions by finding the ruddy eggs of the Kestrel lying 

 in the nest which I thought to be only that of the crow. This bird 'also 

 deposts its eggs in the crannies of old ruined buildings and lofty towers, 

 but I have never as yet been fortunate enough to find them in such a 

 situation. 



The color of the male Kestrel is briefly as follows : The head, cheeks, 

 and back of the neck are ashen gray, marked with narrow longitudinal 

 streaks of deeper gray. The back and upper portions of the body, to- 

 gether with the tertiaries and wing-coverts, are bright ruddy fawn, dot- 

 ted with little triangular black spots, caused by the extreme tips of the 

 feathers being black. The larger quill feathers of the wing are black- 



